Garden for growing veg

[aylithuk]

Hi guys

Wasn't sure what part of the forum to put this in but here goes.

So I've done some patio landscaping (budget patio slabs as trying to keep costs low) and needless to say, I am now left with a pit of mud - mainly due to rain and moving the path from the south facing aspect to the north facing.

Anyhow, this part of the garden once I have levelled it out etc will be my raised garden beds area for vegetables,

I need help with what would be best here regarding paths as It fits my 6 1m x 1m metal beds with at least 1 meter + between each bed.

Now i'd love to level it, improve the draining of the ground and reseed/turf it as I do love green grass but part of me is "sod it" put down cardboard/paper and just fill it with bark/woodchip

What do you think?

** the photo of the where the beds are right now are not staying there. It's my north facing wall so that will be filled with ferns and a few other shade loving plants.

Ta
Mena

[Purple Primrose]

Grass would look lovely but you'd end up with a series of small areas to mow each week during the summer. If you've got the time and patience for that, it might be worth doing. If not, it might be better to have some other type of ground cover that doesn't require anything doing to it.

[Jungle Jane]

Hello,have you thought about having the metal beds closer together & have a patch of soil at the end for bean teepees or brassicas like broccoli & sprouts planted in the ground? On the other hand,one meter between each bed,you could grow fruit trees/shrubs between each bed against the fence or anything you want growing close to the fence?

[aylithuk]

Hello,have you thought about having the metal beds closer together & have a patch of soil at the end for bean teepees or brassicas like broccoli & sprouts planted in the ground? On the other hand,one meter between each bed,you could grow fruit trees/shrubs between each bed against the fence or anything you want growing close to the fence?

Oh I really like that ideal about having a patch for teepees;especially as I want to 'screen' off my patio areas.
I'd love some fruit trees but i am going to hold fire until I get an idea of what I'd like as i am guessing once they are in - they are in!

[Compostman2]

If you go for the grass then you can spread the cuttings on your beds.

Cardboard & chipping easier to maintain, you will have cost of adding new chippings/bark though.

Could you cut the 1 meter wide gap down to width of lawn mower, less space to look after more space for growing.

[nick the grief]

Grass would look lovely but you'd end up with a series of small areas to mow each week during the summer. If you've got the time and patience for that, it might be worth doing. If not, it might be better to have some other type of ground cover that doesn't require anything doing to it.

astro turf doesnt need mowing

[Purple Primrose]

Funny you should say that: I have a friend who has the paths in his greenhouse covered in strips of astroturf. It was left over from one his elderly relatives having had their small garden covered in astroturf (so that it looked like grass but they didn't have to mow it). Personally, I hate the stuff but he says it works well for the paths in his greenhouse and was a great free solution to the problem he had of what to put down in there.